The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has opened Fujian and nearby fish farms after it ordered their closure following large deaths of fishes recorded in Fujian Fish Farm at Asutuare, Maleka and Triton Fish Farms at Dodi Asantekrom in October this year.

A release by MoFAD signed by the Acting Chief Director, Prof. Francis K. E Nunoo said the opening follows thorough investigations into the cause of death of fishes at the farms.

The release indicates that results so far received from the Ghana Standard Authority and the Ridgeways Laboratory in England, UK indicated negative for any poisonous materials. However, the Ministry is still awaiting report from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.

"Our fears of poisonous substances have been ruled out from the diagnostic reports received so far. Based on the reports, we are in a position to declare that, products from the Fujian Farm and nearby farms pose no public health risk to the consuming public".

It also notes that since "the continuous closure of the farm could lead to high production cost and its attendant high prices for the consumer, the farms have therefore been opened”.

The Ministry also assured that it would take steps to prevent such incidents from reoccurring. It states: “The Fish Health Unit of the Fisheries Commission has been directed to work closely with these farms to implement the following measures after opening of the farm:

On the possible cause of death of the fishes recorded in October, the statement said investigation by the Head of the Fish Health Unit and the Veterinary Laboratory in Accra came out with the following findings:

“At Asutuare, investigations revealed that the Kpong Dam was spilled the day before the fish kill, and clinical observations of the dead fishes showed clouded gills with high hyperemia of the gills and excessive mucus exudation, which suggests that there was problem with the environment”. Thus the cause of kill could have been a foreign matter in the environment or low dissolved oxygen”.

MoFAD said this outcome was corroborated by the results received from M/S Aquavet Solutions representing ICYTO Pharma, a laboratory in France. "This laboratory identified the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae as possible cause of deaths", an infection known to the industry, and has affected the industry since 2015. "An autogenous vaccine has often been used to address mortalities caused by the infection".